A unique and distinctive culture emerges from the Burning Man experience. Rooted in the values expressed by the Ten Principles, this culture is manifested around the globe through art, communal effort, and innumerable individual acts of self-expression. To many, it is a way of life.

The original poster was the first to ask the moderators to take it down, actually. I instead just temporarily locked it and hid it while I researched what was going on. It had comments in it already and I don't think it's appropriate to kill threads that are already active. As I understand it, a clarification is forthcoming from the folks at First Camp.

And, the thread wasn't down for a day, it was down for about 3 hours while we wrangled with things behind the scenes.

So, I wanted to give a little more information on the post from Dr. Nome, and to let you know that the post has been "retracted" (as he asked it to be posted in several areas and on lists) but in the interest of information flow we are leaving this conversation here on the e-playa.

The NOME camp provided support infrastructure for the Red Nose District for several years (I don't know how many 2 or 3 I think). They own extensive kitchen equipment, 500 gal water and grey water tanks, a large sturdy tent and related chill space items. They volunteered their skills to support a HUGE camp of clowns, performers and acrobats. The team effort wanted to continue after the Red Nose District (BIG HUGE circus tent with 200 camp members) disbanded.

In 2009 Dr. Nome offered his camp and crew to whatever theme camp might need their support. Late in the game that season there were no takers and the organization decided to take him up on the offer and create a special dinner at the Fly Hot Spring to let board members of Black Rock Arts Foundation, Black Rock Solar and other affiliated groups and supporters know of our hopes and plans for the future of Burning Man, new office needs, opportunity to purchase Fly Hot Springs and a possible new non-profit called the Burning Man Project.

The crew that affiliates themselves with the NOME are a tight, close-knit group of friends and many of them work in the hospitality field. They made magic happen with basically no money at all and created a magic dinner party in 2009. You've seen the photos, that was their creation 100% designed and enabled and poetically gifted by them.

For 2010 the Nome said, "HEY, if you guys need us again let us know!" We deliberated, and considering that we're now in the final stages of determining if we can buy a building or just keep renting, sorting out the mission for our new non profit, and considering some changes in the LLC it seemed like having a gathering on site and in Black Rock City would again be the most convenient way to get some of our uber-supporters, board members from various non-profits and Executive Committee staff members in the room together at one time. In this case it's a wind-blow tent. ;-)

Burning Man's working staff have access to a commissary as long as one works. The organization pays to feed the working staff and long-shift volunteers through out the event production process. However, since the NOME tent and special dining facility take days to erect and take down and placing it near First Camp made tons of sense they also offered as long as they'd be making meals for their camp they'd be interested in making meals for their neighbors also if there was room.

The NOME is donating their time and infrastructure to the Burning Man culture. Ultimately, the organization is at an important cross roads as we work to connect ourselves and our community together as we look forward to morphing our LLC into a non-profit. We're going to need the support and guidance of advisors that are standing by and are most readily available on the playa. So, it seems a dinner once again would make sense. The fact the NOME wants to keep the kitchen going is something they've offered and for which the staff in the area will contribute their own money to if they choose to opt-into the kitchen.

Dr. Nome wanted to get in front of any shortage of volunteers he might have and was innocently asking for help for his camp mates as they engage in their gift. Unfortunately, the tone of the email was not what anyone in First Camp would have written and made many of us uncomfortable. Dr. Nome and members of his camp called immediately and apologized once it was clear to them the post caused a stir.

They're all golden-hearted people who love to cook and make drinks and entertain. Each year they've found a camp or group of people for whom they like to give of their energy. First Camp and the camps in the area are grateful that the NOME is creating a chill space that we can grab a cat nap on a couch from time to time and we go from meeting to meeting. They even promise to throw ice cold water upon us to wake us up if we snore for too long.

We're all in this together, there's no graft and corruption going on, just an over eager "volunteer wrangler" from a camp trying to do good things amongst a city of 50,000 people all also doing magnificent things together. We're all collaborating to take care of each other and change the world.

Please forgive and let's get out into that dry lake bed and eat some playa dust. It's a condiment, you know!

Hmmmm, as long as the non-profit salaries aren't overblown....and yea, cities are hard to run...agreed.....

I'm more interested now.....partially disabled virgin here...I will need to adjust for a burn or two...I heard 2012 is going to a BIG BANG up burn!

Perhaps after I adjust, get a couple a burns under my belt (Modified Stunning Tuxedo)..say 2012... I can BLOW THE SOCKS OFF any other flaming rum shot, fire breathing or fire eating Maitre d'.... Sommelier... Mixoligist, et cetera...(I can do allllllll of those above mentioned bar art shows, a bit borish in comparison to what I can do but we can do the above also)

This cocktail & gourmet food art is, well.... usually never seen by the common man....it's an ancieint Etruscan recipe left to my family from the land of Etroria...looooong story...but in a nutshell, they interbred with the Romans, were smarter than the Egyptians and then the Romans killed them all...Etruscans left no written records...I have the serect recipes..no lie..it isn't hippie magic..it is edible scientfic gourmet food and drink art!

For now I'll be doing the drinks at our little low key bar tent camp for the common man...but yea, sure you're all invited too!.....but they haven't given us the address yet (the deadline changed. we missed it)

My burner pals and gals said they can be done on the playa...yeah...been practicing ya know...they LOVED the SHOW!

Thanks for your efforts and bringing us the WORLD'S GREATEST ART PARTY!

I agree with Marrian's sentiments about being poorly written - it kinda smacks of elitism, kinda. Discretion is the greater part of valor and all that. Not a good tack if you want to promote "community" and a rather eglitarian mindset.

IMO it should have been done without doing the 1st camp "namedropping", but as a request for really talented burners in (x) fields for a really different, exciting, and unusual experience on the playa not many people get. That's how I would have pushed it, anyway... not "Work for First Camp and get all these cool things"...

Damage is done, and it makes the board and the senior management look less like burners and more like elitists which I know they don't want. Sure, with the big decisions come the rewards (perqs) for risk - just like the real world - but it paints the org in a different, and perhaps less favorable, light to most who I jokingly refer to as the unwashed masses (like me)...

Even worse so for the volunteers who work for the org, bust their asses, and get little recognition and reward, to see all the senior staff perqs flashed in front of their faces for people for whom it may be their first time working for the org.

Sure, I'd love to do such a gig (had I not my own gig in the 'burbs now) for all the things promised, and actually have the background to be a part of all the fun (my forst 15 years of work were in dinner houses doing everything from Prep to Line Cook to Chef) but there's a difference between Promise and Delivery.

IF - and this is a biggie - there was delivery following the promises, then I would be there working 14 days for the org, and would have the past 2 years. Easy. For an event staff, they're in general a fun and awesome group to work with and for.

On the other hand, the voice of experience of getting empty promises 3 years running, and then a slap in the face (Imagine being told Sorry, but we've selected someone else" - 2 days before they post an announcement "we're not taking any new applications, and will start making a decision next week") kills credability, and sadly, integrity...

Anyway... Appreciate Andy and Marian sticking their nose in (and attempting damage control)... good to see them take some intrest. And get involved with us, the unwashed masses! (Even those who do work for them)...

it should have been done without doing the 1st camp "namedropping", but as a request for really talented burners in (x) fields for a really different, exciting, and unusual experience on the playa not many people get. That's how I would have pushed it, anyway... not "Work for First Camp and get all these cool things"...

Damage is done, and it makes the board and the senior management look less like burners and more like elitists

Well, I think I agree with that. My feeling upon reading it was one of more embarrassment than anything else (hence the facepalm). Maybe it says more about how NOME feels about the gig than how BMORG feels about it. It just seemed so "hey, come rub elbows with the glitterati" but don't actually, rub elbows, be totally enthralled that you have a chance to serve them ... I dunno. If you read the original as if it were being said by Robin Leach ... or a poor impersonation of Robin Leach ... you might get an idea of how it sounded.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4-UgmX08EY[/youtube]

ADDED:

Something like "Hey, there is going to be a working dinner at BRC by the LLC and various others to brainstorm on the future of things and we need some volunteers to help over at First Camp" would probably have been totally cool.

It's hard to snark at a giant fundraiser camp if you've had the experience of camping next to the Google contingent. Hell, they might as well have built a wall around their giant RVs that they drew into a circle a few years back.

@Isotopia...before my injury got severe, I worked google parties...OMFG...millions, many Millions spent for a 4 day party...movies playing on waterfalls bla bla..and one time their security TRIED to rip me apart for talking to one of their guests/employees...those GUESTS were MY tenants...lol...they backed down when I said "ok, I can just cancel my show and go kick it with pals else where." my tenants also got into the fray...fun.

Also, a goggle big wig just tore down a lil house in front of my tiny old lakeview A frame shack and slammed in a HUGE mansion that blocks a LOT of my tiny slice lakeview...gee thanks, now I can more work done, since I can be barely see the slice lakeview anymore.

I have met some very nice google people though...like the view blocker's younger bro...he's gonna have some trees trimmed to help me see some water again, I work from home mostly and totally appreciate that.

Also, yea what do I know...just what I've read & HEARD (local up hear) about non profit versus llc...agh...I'm just scamblin' to get packed and get some fun cool outfits together (back pain issues...arg!)

Gracias!

I'm the MAN in a truck, burner who is stuck, you're in luck! I'll whip out my BIG tow chain and not charge you, not even one lousy buck!

BBS if you look at my post and visit history you'll see I'm here a lot more than it might seem. I have been an ePlayan since 2000 and have not stopped caring about it, though my approach is mostly hands off (not posting too much) because there are great moderators and it's not really necessary for me to do/say too much and get in the way.

actiongrl wrote:BBS if you look at my post and visit history you'll see I'm here a lot more than it might seem. I have been an ePlayan since 2000 and have not stopped caring about it, though my approach is mostly hands off (not posting too much) because there are great moderators and it's not really necessary for me to do/say too much and get in the way.

Hey AG!!!

I know you're here a lot - esp a lot more than I the past few years!! More on that in a sec...

I am glad you did jump in because, well, someone from the org needed to say *something*, else it looked like y'all were selling out. When MG did the same I was (honestly??) elated, as it shows... samn, you goys DO care. (OK, I know "you guys" care, and I know you personally really DO care about this e-venture!)... The 2 of you did more in a couple posts than thought possible. (and like someone else accused me of elsewhere, a round of golf applause 2 you!)

Anyway, I do know you get swamoed as hell on playa, but if you get a few minures and you're near 330 and A bop by the kantina - Something I need to, um, repay you for. A favor you did me years ago you may not remember, but... I never forgot.

Have an AWESOME weekend... ;) And seruois - thanks for being there for us.

Maid Marion: Thanks for the detailed response. It's nice to see your writing again, as well as some hear of some of the future plans for things. It took a lot to get you to make your first post here. Hopefully it will not be your last. (you know how some of of those 1 post people are)
There are times that I am not sure that there is any communications with the org, and maybe a thread here would give some contact from the participants. This thread really opened things up and I think Dr. Nome deserves the credit for that.

I'll look for you and your big cat and I'll say hello in a month.
Thanks again for everything--and don't forget a second post!
Sham...